Tips and developments in supply chain management tools, software and hardware presented in features, case studies and columns. en-us http://www.scmr.com/community/Software+%26amp%3B+Technology/48316.html?nid=3934 %year Reed Business Information. Subject to its <a href="http://www.scmr.com/info/6435883.html">Terms of Use.</a> Thu, 24 Jul 2008 03:48:00 PST http://www.scmr.com/article/CA6578691.html?nid=3934 The Sales and Operations Planning (S&OP) process has always been the battleground for synchronizing supply constraints with demand opportunities. The measure of a successful S&OP process is its ability to create an actionable consensus plan that provides the operational blueprint for matching supply to demand profitably. Tue, 01 Jul 2008 00:00:00 PST http://www.scmr.com/article/CA6578689.html?nid=3934 For a glimpse of how challenging it can be to practice corporate responsibility, look no further than the clothing retailer known as The Gap. Dan Henkle, Gap, Inc.’s senior vice president of social responsibility, told attendees at Stanford University’s recent annual socially and environmentally responsible (SER) supply chain conference just how far his company has progressed. Tue, 01 Jul 2008 00:00:00 PST http://www.scmr.com/article/CA6578687.html?nid=3934 When products such as mobile phones can become obsolete in less time than it takes the supply chain to move them from drawing board to store shelf, it is clear that producers cannot succeed unless they plan and execute their supply chain operations with great precision, speed, and flexibility. In such cases—and they are increasingly typical—there is almost no margin of error for big... Tue, 01 Jul 2008 00:00:00 PST http://www.scmr.com/article/CA6578685.html?nid=3934 As Kermit the Frog sings, &ldquo;It's not easy being green.&rdquo; It seems that every day I get something in my e-mail or mail box dealing with green supply chains. Invariably there is an event being advertised or an article written about &ldquo;green.&rdquo; Since there are few, if any, really green supply chains now, I think it is fair to say that we are in a &ldquo;hype cycle. Tue, 01 Jul 2008 00:00:00 PST http://www.scmr.com/article/CA6572433.html?nid=3934 A report from a leading analyst firm shows that supply chain management software vendors are thriving despite the gloomy economy, with a jump in revenues from 2006 to 2007. Mon, 23 Jun 2008 11:41:00 PST http://www.scmr.com/article/CA6570629.html?nid=3934 The green movement is not a passing fad. It's fast becoming an industry standard of its own, and it's not going away. To remain competitive, corporations are going to have to include environmental awareness and sustainiability in their long-term goals. Here are six tips on how your supply chain can do just that. Mon, 16 Jun 2008 11:33:00 PST http://www.scmr.com/article/CA6566855.html?nid=3934 Readers of Supply Chain Management Review and Logistics Management magazines took a survey of about 250 corporate leaders to ask what it means for them to be going green. Here's what they said. Mon, 02 Jun 2008 00:00:00 PST http://www.scmr.com/article/CA6560457.html?nid=3934 What sorts of skills do the newest generation of supply chain managers need? What can educational institutions do to better prepare their business school graduates for supply chain management jobs? A new survey conducted by a Supply Chain Council committee and AMR Research aims to find out. Tue, 13 May 2008 11:51:00 PST http://www.scmr.com/article/CA6558643.html?nid=3934 Today's supply chain technology has a notable lack of risk management tools. Developers need to change this to compete in a global market. Traditional Supply Chain Management technologies with a primary focus on cost reduction and efficiency are not adequate in supporting global companies in managing and capitalizing on supply chain risks. As risk permeates every supply chain function, risk management logic must permeate every supply chain management solution. Thu, 01 May 2008 00:00:00 PST http://www.scmr.com/article/CA6558639.html?nid=3934 These days, every company is looking for ways to improve its IT structure and performance. Here, the authors describe in detail a study they did on what common problems exist in corporate IT today. They also describe a new approach to developing and improving IT, which they call a "Supply Chain IT Governance System." Thu, 01 May 2008 00:00:00 PST http://www.scmr.com/article/CA6558636.html?nid=3934 It's a no-brainer to want to put the customer first, but not all additional services are in the company's long-term best interest. Larry's latest column talks about how to streamline your customer segmentation. Thu, 01 May 2008 00:00:00 PST http://www.scmr.com/article/CA6553540.html?nid=3934 How effectively you interact with your key suppliers can have a powerful influence on business performance. The top level of interaction is called strategic supplier relationship management, or SSRM. And while this competency can produce the quick wins that get management's attention, it has a bigger potential benefit: SSRM can form the basis for a deeper, mutually beneficial relationship that brings new value to both sides. Mon, 21 Apr 2008 00:00:00 PST http://www.scmr.com/article/CA6551866.html?nid=3934 DHL's parent company is jumping on the green bandwagon, pledging a huge reduction in its carbon footprint over the next 12 years. Wed, 16 Apr 2008 08:13:00 PST http://www.scmr.com/article/CA6551770.html?nid=3934 A new report indicates the next five years will see a surge in the market for warehouse management systems, driven by a need to upgrade older systems, along with the new appearance of such systems in certain markets and countries. Tue, 15 Apr 2008 14:14:00 PST http://www.scmr.com/article/CA6550308.html?nid=3934 Lean manufacturing has been a goal for corporations for years, and the push to "go green" may be a newer one, but there is a way to have both at once. This article explains how. Thu, 10 Apr 2008 10:54:00 PST http://www.scmr.com/article/CA6547250.html?nid=3934 Everyone wants loyal customers, but what's the best way to get them? This article explores the idea of tailoring your business processes, even those your customers never see, with this ideal in mind. Wed, 02 Apr 2008 11:22:00 PST http://www.scmr.com/article/CA6551212.html?nid=3934 Key findings of a new study by AMR Research show a projected increase of 12 percent in spending for supply chain technology. Collaboration seems to be the name of the game, with the buying emphasis on S&OP, VMI, and related technologies. The study also found that while ERP may be on the rise, Best-of-Breed isn't going anywhere. Tue, 01 Apr 2008 00:00:00 PST http://www.scmr.com/article/CA6549307.html?nid=3934 Simplifying transportation processes and making them cheaper is a must for any company looking to "go global." Transportation Management Systems (TMS) can help. Here is a guide to selecting and implementing a new system, with special emphasis on partial outsourcing with private software as a service. Tue, 01 Apr 2008 00:00:00 PST http://www.scmr.com/article/CA6549303.html?nid=3934 Key findings of a new study by AMR Research show a projected increase of 12 percent in spending for supply chain technology. Collaboration seems to be the name of the game, with the buying emphasis on S&OP, VMI, and related technologies. The study also found that while ERP may be on the rise, Best-of-Breed isn't going anywhere. Tue, 01 Apr 2008 00:00:00 PST http://www.scmr.com/article/CA6549297.html?nid=3934 Benchmarking your supply chain performance can be a costly and time-consuming exercise. And as often as not, it doesn't really produce the results you hoped for. It doesn't have to be this way. A new benchmarking approach from the Supply-Chain Council called SCORmark takes out the noise surrounding benchmarking projects and focuses your improvement efforts on where they're needed most. Tue, 01 Apr 2008 00:00:00 PST